Method and apparatus for handling and cooling bottles

ABSTRACT

BOTTLES OR LIKE ARTICLES ARE CONVEYED PAST A STATION AT WHICH AN OPERATION IS PERFORMED WITH THE ARTICLE INVERTED. THE ARTICLES ARE CONVEYED ALONG A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PATH OF TRAVEL PAST THE STATION AND ARE THEREAFTER ROTATED SUBSTANTIALLY 180* TO AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE ARTICLES ARE THEN LOWERED FROM THE PATH OF TRAVEL AND CONVEYED AWAY. THE METHOD AND APPARATUS LENDS ITSELF PARTICULARLY TO A COOLING OPERATION WHEREIN THE BOTTLE IS CONVEYED THROUGH A LIQUID TO CAUSE THE CONTENTS AT THE NECK OF THE BOTTLE TO BE FROZEN.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COOLING BOTTLES Filed Nov. 28, 1969 Feb. 27, 1973 B. F. RANDRUP 5 Sheets-Sheet l 'INVENTOR. BENJAMIN E KANDKUP ATTOKNE Y Feb. 27,1973 B. F. RANDRUP v 3 0 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COOLING BOTTLES I Filed NOV. 28, 1969 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY V Feb. 27, 1973 B. F. RANDRUP 3,713,007

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COOLING BOTTLES Filed NOV. 28, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR, vBENJAMIN F. KANDKUP BY M ATTOKNEV Feb. 27, 1973 B. F. RANDRUP METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COOLING BOTTLES Filed Nov. 28, 1969 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. I BENJAMIN f. MAID/(UP ATTUKNEJ Feb. 27, 1973 RANDRUP 3,718,007

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COOLING BOTTLES Filed NOV. 28, 1969 6 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

" BENJAMIN F. RAND/6UP BY &4m 40M ATTOKNEV Feb. 27, 1973 5.1-. RANDRUP 3,718,007

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COOLING BOTTLES Filed Nov. 28, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet e B -F I E 1 z 24'" x (m-.4

ATTOKNEV "United States Patent 3,718,007 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND COOLING BOTTLES Benjamin F. Randrup, 1488 High School Road, Sebastopol, Calif. 95472 Filed Nov. 28, 1969, Ser. No. 880,740

. Int. Cl. F25d 13/06 US. Cl. 62-63 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling bottles and like articles and is particularly applicable to use in a bottle freezer wherein the neck of the bottle is immersed in a cooling medium such as glycol.

In the operation of bottling champagne and other fine wines which are fermented in the bottle it is desirable to remove all sediment in order for the wine to have a clear appearance. This sediment is a natural result of the fermentation process and includes yeast and other solid matter, often in the form of extremely fine particles which would impart a cloudy appearance if left in the wine. To remove such sediment a process known as riddling is carried out. This is done by supporting the bottle in a generally inverted position and carrying out certain processes which are not pertinent to the present invention. Such a riddling operation results in the sediment being localized at the lower end of the neck of the inverted bottles.

The present inventionis directed to a step in the removal of such sediment and provides a method and apparatus for conveying the bottle through a tank of glycol at a predetermined speed so that upon removal from the glycol the. champagne and sediment localized in the neck of the bottle is frozen so that it may be removed as a plug. Such removal of the plug is accomplished by other methods and apparatus not pertinent to the present invention.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a method and apparatus of effectively conveying inverted champagne bottles and the like through a station at which an operation, such as freezing, may be performed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a unique method of conveying inverted bottles along a pathof travel and revolving the same to an upright position after the particular operation has been accomplished.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an eflicient apparatus for freezing bottle necks and which apparatus includes means for effectively conveying bottles when such operation is 3,718,007 Patented Feb. 27, 1973 paratus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged longitudinal section through several bottle holders.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a pair of adjoining bottle holders.

FIG. 5 is a cross section through one of the conveyor chains showing a portion of a bottle holder.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing various portions of the conveyor and including the rear end of the same at which the bottles are turned to an upright position.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of a bottle neck immersed in the freezing solution.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the rear end of the conveyor showing the bottle lowering means or elevator.

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section taken in a plane indicated by lines 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a rear end elevation of the apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of the bottle removal conveyor.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the fluid pressure system and wiring.

In detail and first with references to FIGS. 1 and 2 the invention comprises a tank structure generally designated 1 in which is contained a low temperature fluid 2 such as glycol. The tank structure 1 is supported above the floor by a housing which includes a pair of side plates 3, 4 (FIG. 2) and which side plates extend outwardly from both ends of the tank structure and support at their forward end a shaft 5 provided with a pair of sprockets 6 over which are reeved the conveyor chains 7, 8.

At the rear end of the housing a drive shaft 11 is provided with sprockets 12 and a source of power, not shown, drives shaft 11 for moving the upper run of the conveyor from right to left seen in FIG. 1. Various idlers 13 may be provided for guiding the upper runs of the chains 7, 8 along a horizontally extending path over the fluid 2 as best seen in FIG. 1. Appropriate idlers 13 are also provided to guide the lower run of the conveyor and to provide an upwardly and rearwardly slanting run 14 at the forward end of the conveyor where the bottles may be manually loaded.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5 inclusive, a plurality of bottle holders generally designated 18 extend between the opposed chains 7, 8 of the conveyor. As best seen in FIG. 3 each bottle holder is hollow and generally trapezoidal in cross section and includes an upper plate 19, a lower plate 20, and a pair of side plates 21, 22. At the forward end of each bottle holder relative to the direction of travel of the upper run a link 23 is provided pivotally connected at one end to the bottle holder and at its opposite end to the chain. These links 23 support the bottle holders at their forward ends, and the rear ends of the bottle holders are pivotally connected to the chains as indicated in FIG. 3. As will be seen later on this three bar linkage support for the bottle holders permits the conveyors to go around the sprockets 6, 12 without jamming. At the same time the supporting means for the bottle holders permits the bottles 25 to be supported on the bottle holders at an angle inclined to the vertical as best seen in FIG. 3.

At equally spaced points along the length of each bottle holder the top 19 and bottom 20 are provided with registering circular openings 27, 28 respectively. The opening 27 is relatively large in diameter to accommodate the juncture between the generally cylindrical portion of the bottle and the bottle neck. The circular opening 28 is considerably smaller than opening 27 so as to fit the reduced diameter portion of the neck of the bottle 25. The frozen plug is indicated at 29 (-FIG. 7).

The bottles 25 are subsequently removed from the bottle holders when the structure of 23 is inverted so that the bottles are upright. For this reason the peripheral margin of opening 28 is swaged inwardly as seen in FIG. 3 to facilitate movement of the crown cap past the openin 28.

In FIG. 6 the various positions of the bottles that are pertinent to the present invention are shown. At the right hand end of FIG. 6 the bottles are substantially vertical as they are manually loaded on upwardly and rearwardly inclined run 14 of the conveyor. During the movement of the bottles through the cooling liquid 2 the bottles are substantially inclined to the vertical as indicated. -At the left hand end of FIG. 6 it will be seen that the bottles 25, as they proceed through their generally semicircular path are engaged at the trailing ends of their bottoms by an arcuate guide plate 32. This guide plate 32 is readily removable for a reason to be described and to this end is provided with upper and lower pins 33, 34 which are adapted to be received within slots 35, 36 respectively formed in plates 37 which in turn are fixedly secured to vertically extending supports 38 (FIG.

When each row of bottles carried by the bottle holders 18 reach the upstanding vertical position shown in FIG. 6 they are supported on the horizontally disposed flange 40 of a bottle support generally designated 41 (see FIGS. 8, 12). In this position the bottles on the bottle support 41 actuate a switch 45 which is carried on a vertically extending plate 46 pivotally supported at its lower end on a pivot 47. As best seen in FIG. 8 the pivoted plate 46 is urged to its normal position shown in dotted line by a compression spring 48 so that when the bottles 25 attain their upright position they urge the plate 46 to the right causing the switch arm 50 of switch 45 to be swung to switch closing position by its abutment with a fixed stop 51. As will subsequently be seen the closing of switch 45 initiates the action of the elevator which will now be described.

The bottle support 41 is fixedly secured to a block 53 which is in turn secured to the upper end of a piston rod 54 of air cylinder 55. The body of this air cylinder 55 is fixedly secured to a portion of the fixed housing such as indicated at 56. Upon downward movement of the piston in cylinder 55 it will be seen that the bottle support 41 is moved downwardly to its dot dash position as shown in FIG. 8. In this latter position a substantial portion of the bottoms of the bottles engage the upper run of a takeaway conveyor generally designated 58.

In order to ensure that the bottles remain in alignment on the bottle support 41 during downward movement a movable rail 60 is swung upwardly into engagement with the sides of the bottles opposite the switch plate 46. Said rail 60 extends the entire length of bottle support 41 and is fixedly secured to a yoke 61 which in turn is pivotally connected at its ends to bottle support 41 as indicated at 62. One end of yoke 61 is provided with a lug 64 which is swingably connected to the upper end of a rod 65 which is swingably secured at its lower end to the lower end of connecting rod 66 of air cylinder 67. Upon upward movement of the piston in cylinder 67 it will be seen that the yoke 61 is swung from the position of FIG. 12 to the bottle engaging position of FIG. 8. To provide additional guiding means for the elevator a pair of guide rods 70 are connected at their upper ends to bottle support 41 and are slidably received at their lower ends in a horizontally extending member 71 fixedly secured to the housing of the apparatus. By this structure smooth vertical movement of the elevator is ensured.

Referring now to the schematic diagram of FIG. 12, upon actuation of switch 45 by the bottles 25 when the latter achieve their upright position a four way solenoid valve 74 is actuated to conduct fluid to the upper end of cylinder 55 thereby initiating downward movement of the elevator. The same fluid which actuates cylinder 55 is conducted to the lower end of the smaller cylinder 67 through an orifice 75 thereby causing the rail 60 (FIG. 8) to swing upwardly into bottle engaging position. The presence of orifice 75 delays the action of cylinder 67 so that the elevator 4-1 has moved downwardly a sufficient distance to clear guide plate 32 before the yoke 61 of rail 60 is swung upwardly. When the elevator reaches its lower position switch 76 is actuated thereby causing the circuit of solenoid 73 of valve 74 to be opened thus holding the elevator in its down position so that the take-away conveyor 58 may remove all of the bottles of the row.

At a point spaced from the apparatus a switch 78 is provided which is adapted to engage the leading bottle of a row of bottles that has been removed from the elevator. When said switch 78 is engaged this signals the fact that all of the bottles in a row have been removed and the closing of said switch actuates solenoid 80 of valve 74 thereby returning the elevator to its upper position to await the arrival of the next row. At the same time cylinder 67 is returned to its previous position and the rail 60 swings downwardly.

As seen in FIGS. 10, 11, after the bottles are removed from the above described apparatus by take-away conveyor 58 they are shunted to a more offset position relative to conveyor 58 by means of a pair of guides 82, 83. Guide 83 includes a lower horizontally disposed flange 84 on which the outer marginal portions of the bottles are supported. Since the conveyor 58 is moving to the right as seen in FIG. 11 this fact, together with the presence of the stationery support 84, causes the bottles to rotate in a clockwise direction so that an operator may visually examine the contents of the bottles for any particles that may not have been included in the frozen plug. To facilitate this visual inspection a bank of lights 85 (FIG. 10) in a housing 86 may be provided. Bottles which do not pass this visual inspection may be removed from the conveyor.

It will be seen that the above described method and apparatus permit the handling of a relatively large number of bottles at a uniform rate of speed and also permits an efficient freezing of the necks of the bottles as a step in the removal of the sediment. It will be understood that the conveyor moves at a relatively low rate of speed since it is necessary to immerse the necks of the bottles for a sufiicient length of time to permit freezing to take place. Since all of the bottles are subjected to exactly the same movements a uniformity in product is insured.

The above described apparatus has been shown in detail in connection with bottles that are one-fifth of a gallon in volume. Bottles that are one-tenth of a gallon in volume may also be handled by the above described apparatus since the diameter of such a smaller bottle indicated at 25' in FIG. 3 is the same at the neck of the bottle which engages apertures 28 of the bottle holder.

As stated above the bottom guide 32 (FIG. 6) is made removable and another guide 32' may be substituted and supported in like manner as guide 32 when it is desired to run smaller bottles of the one-tenth gallon size for eX- ample. In such a case it is necessary for the elevator 41 to be raised to a higher position in order to support the bottoms of the smaller bottles. This is achieved by making the piston rod 54 of sufiicient length to slidably extend through the bottom of cylinder 55 and inserting a spacer 88 between the lower end of the piston rod and the lower end of the cylinder 55 when it is desired to run the larger bottles. By removing the spacer 88 the elevator above de scribed is permitted to move to a higher position so as to engage the bottoms of the smaller bottles (see FIG. 6).

of said bottle and disposed so as to permit said bottle to be inclined to the vertical,

moving said supporting elements as a unit along a horizontally extending path of travel with the bottom of the bottle forwardly relative to said path of travel and with the neck only of said bottle immersed in a liquid cooling medium,

thereafter revolving said supporting elements about a horizontal axis through a substantially circular arc of about 180,

engaging the trailing edge of said bottom during said revolution by an arcuate support formed to a radius to permit the bottle to swing by gravity to a substantially vertical upright position. 1

2. Apparatus for freezing the liquid in the neck of a sealed bottle of champagne comprising:

a body of liquid coolant,

conveyor means for conveying bottles along a horizontal path of travel with said bottles inverted and with the necks only of said bottles immersed in said body of liquid,

said conveyor means including a pair of opposed supporting elements spaced apart axially of a bottle and spaced from the mouth of such bottle and disposed so as to permit a bottle received between said elements to be inclined to the vertical with the bottle bottom forwardly of the bottle neck relative to the forward direction of said path of travel,

arcuate guide means adapted to engage the trailing edges of the bottoms of said bottles to permit said bottles to move along an arcuate path at the end of said horizontal path and to swing by gravity to a substantially upright position.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said supporting elements are formed by the sides of apertures in a pair of spaced opposed plates adapted to receive the neck of a bottle therethrough at spaced points along the length of such neck.

4. Apparatus for conveying bottles along a path of travel past a station at which an operation is performed on the bottles with the latter inverted and thereafter disposing such bottles in an upright position comprising:

conveyor means for moving a plurality of bottles along a path of travel which includes a generally horizontally extending run and a generally downwardly extending arcuate run,

bottle holder means carried by said conveyor and including a pair of opposed supporting elements disposed so as to permit a bottle to be inclined to the vertical in an upright position at said station with the bottle bottom forwardly of the bottle neck relative to the forward direction of said path of travel,

guide means adjacent said arcuate run adapted to engage the trailing edges of the bottoms of said bottles during their movement along said arcuate run to permit said bottles to swing by gravity to a substantially vertical upright position,

lowering means for lowering said bottles away from said arcuate run for removing the bottles from said bottle holder means,

a second conveyor for conveying said bottles away from said lowering means along a horizontal path of travel,

and guides adjacent said second conveyor at a visual inspection station for offsetting said bottles from said horizontal path of travel thereby efifecting automatic rotation of such bottles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,589,079 6/1926 Johnson et al 62-374 X 1,996,781 4/1935 Winton 62-374 X 1,108,539 8/1914 Zahm 198-131 X 3,233,718 2/1966 Ladewig 198-131 X 3,477,557 11/1969 Babunovic 198-22 MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner R. C. CAPO'SSELA, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

